Role of closed paths in the path integral approach of statistical thermodynamics

Abstract

Thermodynamics is independent of a description at a microscopic level consequently statistical thermodynamics must produce results independent of the coordinate system used to describe the particles and their interactions. In the path integral formalism the equilibrium properties are calculated by using closed paths and an euclidean coordinate system. We show that the calculations on these paths are coordinates independent. In the change of coordinate systems we consider those preserving the physics on which we focus. Recently it has been shown that the path integral formalism can be built from the real motion of particles. We consider the change of coordinates for which the equations of motion are unchanged. Thus we have to deal with the canonical transformations. The Lagrangian is not uniquely defined and a change of coordinates introduces in hamiltonians the partial time derivative of an arbitrary function. We have show that the closed paths does not contain any arbitrary ingredients. This proof is inspired by a method used in gauge theory. Closed paths appear as the keystone on which we may describe the equilibrium states in statistical thermodynamics.